A broadband analysis of the optical properties of silver nanoparticle films by in situ real time spectroscopic ellipsometry

A broadband analysis of the optical properties of silver nanoparticle films over the range from 0.75 to 6.5 eV was performed by applying in situ real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) during the nucleation, coalescence, and bulk thin film growth regimes. The dielectric functions of the particulate films were found to depend strongly on the particle size and film thickness from the nucleation regime throughout coalescence. These dependences were analyzed by separately characterizing the three types of transitions evident in the dielectric function: intraband, particle plasmon polariton, and interband. Throughout the film growth regimes, the thickness evolution of the amplitude, energy, and broadening parameter for each type of transition is discussed in view of the structural characteristics of the films, as corroborated ex situ by atomic force microscopy for films deposited over different time durations.